The Phases Of The Moon
by XxXxDarkVampirexXxX
Summary: The entire Moon Social Link, before, during and after. Basically, each time Minako's with Shinjiro... She witnesses the phases of the Moon in a human being...the man she loves...
1. May 1

**Yo…well, if you read '_When The Fool Meets The Moon_,' then you know I'm working on a M-rated version of it, except that it includes each time Minako's with Shinjiro, not just that one night…I decided to post whatever I have right now…I'm using the dialogs from the game for most of it though…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters…**

May 1-After School

Class had just finished, and Junpei turned to Minako and Yukari.

"FYI, Akihiko-san's at the hospital getting a check up. He called me earlier, and asked me to bring him something." Junpei smiled widely. "Yep, he knows who to count on."

Yukari smirked. "He only asked you cuz you don't have anything else to do after school."

"H-Hey, I resent that," said Junpei.

Minako let out a laugh and Yukari giggled.

"I'm just kidding," said the pink clad girl. "So, what'd he want you to bring?"

"The class roster for 2-E," Junpei replied.

The two girls exchanged a confused glance.

"What's he want that for?"

Junpei shrugged. "I dunno."

"Well, I don't have practice today, so I'll go with you," said Yukari. She looked at Minako. "You're coming too, right?"

Minako thought for a moment before saying that she was.

"W-Wait a minute…" said Junpei.

"What? Is there a problem?" asked Yukari turning around to face the boy.

"Well, it was ME he asked…" said Junpei.

Minako laughed again. "You're still gonna give it to him. We're just going with you."

The three of them left the school and headed to Tatsumi Memorial Hospital… However, when they entered Akihiko's room, they got a bit of a surprise. Instead of their senpai, sitting on the bed was an unfamiliar young man. He was giving off a really negative vibe, and it wasn't just because of the way he looked.

He was wearing dark pants, a black turtle neck, a long, thick, burgundy pea coat, and a black beanie over his shoulder length brown hair.

_Isn't he hot in all that? _Minako wondered silently.

Junpei finally decided to speak. "Umm… Is…Akihiko-senpai…in this room? By any chance?"

They guy on the bed said nothing, but the trio suddenly heard footsteps behind them.

"What are all of you guys doing here?" asked Akihiko, who had just entered the room.

"We came to see you," said Yukari.

"I just tagged along," said Minako.

"I'm just here for a check up," said Akihiko. "It's not like it's anything major."

No one had a chance to respond though, for at that moment, the other guy spoke.

"Is that it, Aki?"

"Yeah, thanks," said Akihiko with a smile.

"Tch… I don't have for this shit," said the young man in a deep voice. He got up and headed for the door, but stopped abruptly, looking at Minako. "You…" he said.

Minako blinked and found herself staring into his deep, brown eyes. There was a brief pause…

"Never mind…" he said suddenly.

Their eyes tore away from each other and he left the hospital room, closing the door behind him.

_What was that about? _Minako wondered. _Who was that anyway?_

Junpei seemed to be thinking along the same lines. "Wh-Who was that?"

"A friend from school…sort of," Akihiko replied in what Minako realized was hesitation.

**And that's the first part…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	2. June 6

**Yo…I have the next three parts already finished, so those'll be put up simultaneously…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters…**

June 6-Evening

"Alright, let's get going," said Yukari.

She, Minako and Junpei were standing in the lounge of their dorm. The three of them had decided to go to Tatsumi Port Island's back alley, to get information on the girl's who would bully Fuuka Yamagishi.

"What's your hurry? I still think this is a bad idea," said Junpei. After a moment he added, "I mean, bringing two girls THERE is like wandering into a lion's den with steak strapped to my face…"

Minako, who had heard the notorious tales of the back alley, silently agreed with her male friend. Going there was NOT a good idea. Yukari seemed to have a different opinion.

"Come on, it'll be and adventure!" she exclaimed with a smile. And with that, she walked away.

"More like a suicide mission…" muttered Junpei.

"You'll protect us, right?" asked Minako who knew she needed to boost her buddy's ego.

"H-Huh? Hey, you know it! Leave it to me! C'mon let's go!" said Junpei with a slight blush.

And the two of them reluctantly followed Yukari out the dorm. They made their way over to TPI's back alley where they saw a few guys and girls hanging out. It seemed quite ominous.

"The hell?" said one punk upon viewing the three.

"Check out those rags," said another. "They're from Gekkou high," he added with a laugh.

"Oh man," mumbled Junpei. "This is worse than I thought."

One of the punks then started on Junpei, but Yukari cut him off. "We don't need your permission to be here," she said.

"Hey! Are you nuts! Take a look around you!" Junpei exclaimed in a whisper.

"Come on, don't be intimidated by those scum!" said Yukari bravely.

"Um, Yukari…?" Minako began, only to be cut off by one of the girl's who was sitting there.

"She just called us 'scum,'" she said. "We'll post some pictures that will make her daddy cry!"

The girl's started laughing and Minako glanced over at Yukari. Since her father was dead, the threat was pretty pointless.

"These guys are the worst," said Yukari.

"You oughta learn to shut that trap of yours," said the punk. "Man, I feel sorry for you, Goatee. This bitch is a pain in the ass…huh!" He turned suddenly, and punched Junpei right in the gut.

"Junpei!" cried Yukari turning around.

Junpei fell to his knees and Minako got down on her own next to him.

_Crap, this is bad, _she thought.

"That's enough," said a sudden voice.

Minako looked up in surprise, for the voice had sounded quite familiar. Standing there was the young man from before. The one who had been in Akihiko's room at the hospital.

"They didn't know what they were getting into," he said. "I'll make sure they leave… Alright?"

"Who do you think you are, dumbass?" questioned the punk. "You want some too!"

_I don't think that's a good idea, _thought Minako hesitantly.

Despite all the punks who were standing around, the guy in the beanie seemed toughest. He easily dodged the punk's fist, then sent him flying with a head-butt so hard that Minako winced.

"You just crossed the line!" exclaimed the punk from the ground. "You think you're going home alive!"

"…Wanna give it a try?" asked the guy casually.

"U-Uh… S-Screw this…" said the punk.

"Damn you, Shinjiro," said the punk's friend. "That's right…you're from Gekkou High too, aren't ya!"

"You'd better grow eyes in the back of your head!" yelled the punk as he and his friends all ran away.

Minako helped Junpei to his feet. _Shinjiro, huh?_

"Oh man, Senpai, that was awesome!" Junpei exclaimed in awe.

Shinjiro seemed less than amused. "You idiots! Get outta here. This place isn't for you," he said. He began to walk away.

"Wait!" Yukari called after him. "We came here for a reason!"

"Did Aki tell you come here?" asked Shinjiro.

"No, he didn't," said Minako. _Technically…_

"What do you wanna know? questioned Shinjiro. "About that ghost story?"

The three students said that that was it, and Shinjiro filled them in on what was really going on. Minako was only half listening. She was more focused on Shinjiro than anything else.

_His voice is really deep_, she realized.

"I get it, Aki… Still trying to make up for the past. It's you who can't let go…" said Shinjiro in a quieter voice. It was as if he had spoken out loud without meaning to.

Minako, Junpei and Yukari all looked at him curiously, but Shinjiro shooed them off with the parting words, "Tch… Don't come here again."

The three were halfway back to the dorm, when Minako suddenly realized something.

_He didn't even look at us when he was talking… Not even once…_

**Yeah…that's it for now…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	3. September 2

**Yo…here's the next chapter…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters…**

September 2-Lunchtime

Minako was sitting at her desk during lunchtime, when she received a text message. She flipped open her cell and realized it was from Akihiko.

'I have something important to take care of after school. I want you to come. I'll be waiting by the gate. Meet me there.'

_Huh…I wonder what's up_, she thought.

After school Minako headed over to the school gates where Akihiko was standing.

_He looks annoyed_, she realized. _I hope he wasn't waiting for too long._

"There you are," said Akihiko when he noticed the girl. "There's something I have to do, and I want you to come with me."

"Alright," said Minako. "Where are we going?" As she said this, her crimson eyes fell upon a silver suitcase her senpai was holding. It looked like the one that was up in her room. The one that held her Evoker and SEES sash.

Akihiko didn't respond to the girl's question, but began leading the way. A confused Minako followed him all the way to…Hagakure Ramen, which only confused her further.

_Why'd he wanna bring me here? _she wondered. _What's so special about this place? And why's he so serious?_

The door to the restaurant slid open and a young man stepped out. Minako immediately recognized him as Shinjiro. There was no mistaking that pea coat, not to mention the black beanie that no one else in the city wore.

"You're getting on my nerves!" Shinjiro said to Akihiko as soon as he saw him.

"The situation had changed," said Akihiko. "Sorry, but his time, I'm not asking."

Minako looked at the two, confused.

"What?" said Shinjiro, who also seemed a little out of it.

"This belongs to you," said Akihiko, throwing the suitcase at Shinjiro, who caught it easily but didn't say anything. "We have a new enemy," Akihiko continued. "They're Persona-users, like us.

_Strega_, thought Minako with a subconscious nod.

Shinjiro still didn't say anything, but Minako noticed a brief flicker of surprise on his face.

"Yeah, so what?" he said after a pause. "What's any of this got to do with me?"

"There's more," said Akihiko. And after a second's hesitation he said, "Ken Amada has joined our team."

There was no doubt about it, Shinjiro was definitely surprised this time.

"What the hell're you talking about!" he exclaimed.

"He has the potential, and Ikutsuki-san has okayed it," Akihiko explained. "He's now a Persona-user."

"You've gotta be kidding me," said Shinjiro looking down. The news had been completely unexpected. "Let me ask you one thing…" he said after a near minute of silence. "Was it his decision to join SEES?"

"Yeah," replied Akihiko with a nod. "He volunteered."

"…I see," said Shinjiro. He took a deep breath, as if he were stalling himself. "Then count me in."

Minako stood there, completely lost, wondering if anyone was going to fill her in on what was happening anytime soon. Shinjiro voice however, pulled her out of her thoughts and she found herself looking straight into his eyes.

"So, you're the one leading the operations now, huh? If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you fighting for?" he asked.

Minako blinked. She had never really thought about it before. What WAS she fighting for?

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. She new, however, that the answer would come to her eventually.

"Is that so?" said Shinjiro, still looking her in the eyes. "Well, you do your thing; I'll do mine." He turned back towards Akihiko and added, "Is my room still vacant?"

"Yeah," said Akihiko nodding once more. "It's exactly the way you left it."

"Sheesh…another girl?" Shinjiro questioned. "First Mitsuru and nor her…"

"So what?" said Akihiko. "She might be a girl, but she's one hell of a-" Shinjiro cut the vested young man off.

"That ain't my point, numbskull," he said.

Minako, who had forced herself from laughing, was slightly surprised when she heard what Shinjiro said next.

"I'm saying you gotta keep an eye out for her. Honestly…"

_So he does care then_, thought Minako. _I think…_

**That's all for this part…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	4. September 7

**Yo…this is the last one for today…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters…**

September 7-Evening

Minako stood in the lounge at the dorm, wondering what she should do. They couldn't go to Tartarus, because Mitsuru and Akihiko were at the hospital questioning Chidori. Minako debated on an early night, when something caught her eye. Or, more like someONE. Shinjiro, who had rejoined SEES a few days ago, was standing there in a corner by himself. The girl hesitated for a brief moment before approaching him.

"…Yeah? You want something?" asked Shinjiro when he noticed her.

Minako could almost physically feel the wall between them. Nevertheless, she asked him out to eat.

Shinjiro blinked. "…What, with me?"

"Yeah," said Minako with a laugh. "You're the only senpai here right now."

"Okay…" Shinjiro replied a moment later. "I don't know any fancy places though."

And with that the two of them headed out, Minako following Shinjiro as he led her over to Hagakure Ramen. The walk there had been silent, and only once they had been served, did they speak once more.

"Sorry for bringing you here," said Shinjiro. "I don't know that many places to go out to eat."

"I like this place," said Minako, hoping to reassure the young man. It's not like it was a lie though. She really did love Hagakure. She went there quite a bit.

"…You're an odd one," said Shinjiro with a small laugh.

This surprised Minako a little. She had never heard her senpai laugh before; she had never seen him smile either.

"Well, let's eat," said Shinjiro. "Watch the soup, it's hot," he warned. "Ow…" he voiced a second or two later.

Minako looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"…Forgot I had a cut in my mouth," replied Shinjiro with a pained look. "It's cause Aki punched me. Sheesh, that guy's gotta learn how frickin heavy a boxing champ punches…"

_Akihiko-senpai punched him? Why would he do that…?_ Minako wondered.

"Were you two fighting?" she questioned.

"Well…yeah," said Shinjiro a little awkwardly. With a smile he added, "…I gave him a little 'lecture' on how his fighting style's too reckless, and this is what I got in return. Well, we get in fights all the time. Just get used to it."

_Well, that's how friends are, right? You gotta get into fights every now and then… Junpei and I are the same_, thought Minako.

Realizing Shinjiro was still waiting for her to say something, she said, "Alright."

"Yeah, thanks." Shinjiro laughed again with a slight embarrassed look on his face. He looked at Minako suddenly, right in the eyes. "But man, you're actually younger than him…?" He looked away and with a tiny smile said, "We're lucky that you're such a reliable leader."

_Is he making fun of me_, Minako asked herself. _That's the way it sounds… No…no, wait… Senpai's being serious…_

Minako felt a surge of power as a new Social Link formed… The two continued to eat their ramen.

"Oww… That reminds me…" said Shinjiro, smiling once again. "I cut the inside of my mouth the first time he punched me, too. I couldn't eat for a while because of that."

"Why did he punch you?" Minako asked curiously, wondering if Shinjiro would tell her.

"…I forget," replied Shinjiro. "It was back when we were kids." He laughed nostalgically. He sighed a moment later. "This just ain't gonna work… I'll have to wait until it cools down," he said.

They finished eating and returned to the dorm, silence engulfing them once more.

_The Moon Arcana, huh… _thought Minako as they walked. _He smiled though… Heck, he even laughed… The Moon…_

**And that's all for today…next chapter should be up tonight…maybe…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	5. September 9

**Yo…sorry about the delay…I was gonna put this up like, last week, but then school started and I didn't have time to play and shit…And now, since I gotta worry about culminating and exams and all of that crap, updates may be a little slower…not that they weren't slow enough as it is.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters…**

September 9-Evening

Minako stood in the dorm lounge, once again wondering what she should do. The senpai were at the hospital again, still trying to question Chidori. The girl looked around and spotted Shinjiro sitting on a stool back near the kitchen. He was alone, of course. She approached him.

"…Minako? What's up?" asked Shinjiro.

"Can we hang out, senpai? I'm bored," said Minako.

"Well…I don't mind," replied Shinjiro.

"Yay!"

They left the dorm together.

"So, where do you want to go to eat?" questioned Minako.

Shinjiro shrugged. "It doesn't really matter."

_Wakatsu it is, then_, Minako decided.

Once they had sat down, Shinjiro looked at the girl.

"You eat here often?" he asked.

"Not as much as Hagakure, but yeah," Minako replied with a smile.

"I see," said Shinjiro looking away. "It'd be better if Aki ate here too," he added. "That guy isn't getting a balanced intake of nutrients…" He sighed after saying this.

_A balanced intake of nutrients… I'm probably not getting it either._

"Oh, yeah… About Aki…"

Minako pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked up at the coated young man who was looking at her again.

"Yes?"

"In your opinion, do you think he's fighting well?" asked Shinjiro.

The girl momentarily thought back to their battles, visioning her red vested senpai fighting. He seemed to be doing fine, and that was what she told Shinjiro.

"I see. Alright then," he said. "You understand a lot more about fighting than me, after all. …I'll leave it up to you," he added as an afterthought. He glanced away from her again. "Sorry. I know you're the leader, and I keep stickin my nose in. It's not that I don't approve of you… That's just how I am."

_That's kinda cute_, thought Minako. She didn't dare say this to his face though…not yet, at least.

"Aki and Mitsuru both seem to be more comfortable fighting than when I was around," the young man continued. "Back then, we were just fumbling our way through…"

"Well, that WAS two years ago," said Minako.

Shinjiro gave a nod of agreement before continuing. "But your powers look like they're helping out a lot, too."

"I hope so…" said Minako quietly, looking down at her food.

"You aren't confident?" questioned Shinjiro with a smile. "…You really are trying hard."

He gave Minako a gentle smile, which caused her to blush faintly and her heart begin to pound.

_He really does care_, she thought. _Not just about me, but the others as well… Senpai's completely different than what I first thought…_

Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 2.

"…Eat up," said Shinjiro suddenly, indicating the girl's food. "It's gonna get cold." He thought for a moment. "Is everyone eating a well-balanced meal like this…?"

Minako smiled slightly as she began to eat. Once the two had finished, they headed back to the dorm in silence once more…

**And that's the end of this one…I have the next three already written down…just gotta type them up…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	6. September 11

**Yo…here's the next chapter…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters…**

September 11-Evening

Minako decided to hang out with Shinjiro again because she was bored. The girl was thinking about where they could go out to eat, when her senpai requested Wakatsu. Minako agreed and the two headed out.

"This crossed my mind the last time we ate here…" began the young man once they had sat down. "Those guys eat in their own, right? Well… Are they doing okay?"

Minako was slightly confused. "What do you mean 'okay'…?"

"Your body's your most important tool," replied Shinjiro seriously. "Still, all those guys ever eat is instant noodles and stuff like that." He sighed and looked away. "…Well, Persona is supposedly the 'strength of the heart…' So, I guess it might be better if they eat what makes them happy. But…" He trailed off.

Minako smiled. "You're so kind-hearted," she said.

"…Don't be stupid," said Shinjiro indignantly. There was a pause… "If you get the chance, let them know," he said.

"Let them know what?"

"Tell em they need to eat better," the young man replied. "They won't listen if it comes from me. Especially Aki…"

Minako had to agree with this. However, she figured Akihiko would be the only one who wouldn't listen. The others would most likely just be surprised that Shinjiro had said such a strange thing.

Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 3.

Shinjiro's eyes suddenly fell upon the vegetables the girl had shoved to the side of her plate. "…You are gonna eat those vegetables, right?" he questioned.

Minako gulped and knew she had no choice but to eat them, no matter how much she didn't want to. Shinjiro watched her the entire time, making sure she cleaned her plate. After they had finished their meal, they headed back to the dorm.

_So he cares for us all…but he doesn't really want to show it… Heh, he's shy about stuff like that, isn't he…?_

**Yeah...two more parts coming up...Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	7. September 12

**Yo...Sorry about the delay...I was gonna put this up yesterday, but my laptop died and I didn't have the charger near me at the time...and after that the damn thing broke...again...So now I have to use the main computer which is really slow and only has Word Pad...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters...**

September 12-Evening

Minako and Shinjiro stood in the lounge together, pondering where they would go to eat.

"Well then, let's..." Shinjiro stopped abruptly. "Do you smell something?"

Minako sniffed the air and caught the scent of something burning.

"Is it coming from over by the counter?" said Shinjiro. The two went over and spotted Fuuka standing there. "Hey... Are you causing this smell, Fuuka?" Shinjiro questioned.

Fuuka seemed quite surprised. "Huh! Does it smell!"

Shinjiro looked at her incredulously for a moment. "What're you doing?"

_Cooking...probably..._

"Um...I was trying to make beef stroganoff..." the girl replied hesitantly.

"...What about the roux?" asked the burgundy clad man.

"Oh, I didn't use any!" said Fuuka a bit proudly. "I made it from scratch with flour..."

"What's roux?" asked Minako curiously. She knew how to cook...but only simple things.

Nobody answered her question, though. Shinjiro sighed.

"Don't start acting all proud after you've burned it..." he said.

"Oh, you're right," said Fuuka looking at the food. "This is burnt... What should I do...?"

The young man hesitated for a second, before asking Fuuka whether she had any ingredients left.

"Oh, yes," Fuuka replied. "I bought extra everything..."

"...I'll make it," said Shinjiro. "Watch and learn." He looked at Minako suddenly. "Arisato... You okay if we have this for dinner?"

_Why'd he call me by my last name all of a sudden?_

Minako said she was really happy and Shinjiro smiled, causing Fuuka to look on in surprise.

"Don't get your hopes up like that," he chuckled.

"I-I'm sorry, Minako-chan. Weren't you going to go out with Shinjiro-senpai...?" said Fuuka.

Minako didn't have a chance to respond though, because Shinjiro called at Fuuka to get started. The crimson eyed girl decided to stay and watch the two cook.

_This is going to be interesting_, she thought. _Senpai's never seen Fuuka try to cook before..._

"How much oil did you use?" questioned the coated young man.

"I didn't use any," Fuuka replied happily. "I thought it would be healthier that way..."

"...How much red wine did you put in?" asked Shinjiro.

"I don't know," said Fuuka. "I poured it from the bottle until it looked like enough..."

"...How long did pour it, then?"

"Um... Two or three seconds," Fuuka replied unsure.

Minako thought Shinjiro was on the verge of a facepalm.

"This meat's pretty fatty," said Shinjiro after examining it.

"Oh, yes," said Fuuka. "I asked the butcher for the best he had..."

Shinjiro seemed pretty ticked off at this moment.

_How much money did Fuuka spend on all this? _Minako wondered.

"There's so much wrong here, I don't know where to begin..." said Shinjiro bluntly.

"Huh!"

_Ouch. Could've said that a little nicer, senpai_, thought Minako.

"Don't start messing around with recipes until you've improved your basic cooking skills," Shinjiro lectured. "Seriously... Don't you feel bad at all for charring all this food?"

"...I'm sorry," Fuuka apologized dejectedly.

_Aww, come on senpai. You're making her sad now!_ Minako knew she couldn't actually say any of this out loud, so she kept it in her head.

"Now listen up," said Shinjiro. "Prepare everything beforehand. Chop everything that needs to be chopped. Measure out all you seasonings, too. That way, you won't panic while everything's cooking."

_Smart_, thought Minako. _That's a good idea. I kinda just do everything at the same time... At least it still turns out good._

"Y-Yes," said Fuuka. "Um, memo, memo..."

And while Fuuka wrote everything down, Shinjiro skillfully chopped up all the ingredients as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

_Wow...how does he cut them so fast?_

"Gotta cook the onions at low heat," he explained. "They'll taste better if they're cooked until they just start to get burned."

Fuuka began writing that down, but Shinjiro stopped her.

"Put that notepad down and watch me," he said. "Here's the meat. When you put it in..."

_Even when he's talking...he's like a pro..._

After a little while the dish was ready. It looked almost as if it were a picture taken out of a cook book, or TV. Fuuka seemed to agree.

"Wow, it looks so delicious..." she said.

"...Just shut it and eat up before it gets cold," ordered Shinjiro.

"Thank you for the food!" Minako exclaimed with a smile.

"...Y-Yeah," said Shinjiro with a faint blush on his cheeks.

Minako gasped inwardly. _He just blushed! _However, she lost her train of thought when she took a bite of the food. It tasted amazing, and somehow, brought back memories from a much happier time...

"Y-You're just exaggerating..." said Shinjiro, still blushing slightly.

"You're amazing, Shinjiro-senpai," said Fuuka in awe.

"I mean, anyone could do something like-"

"No, they can't!" Fuuka exclaimed, cutting her senpai off. "Please teach me again! Promise!"

Minako thoroughly cleaned her plate and was then left alone with alone with Shinjiro. Fuuka had insisted on cleaning up herself.

" 'Please teach me again...' Huh," said Shinjiro with a sigh. "Looks like she made me promise without letting me say anything... Well...I guess I'll make something again later."

"Why not make enough for everybody?" Minako suggested.

Shinjiro looked at her. "You mean treat them all to dinner? That's kinda pushing it..."

Minako looked down, sad.

Shinjiro smiled. "Well, you got a point," he said, causing her to look back up. "Maybe it'll be okay to do it once in a while..."

_He didn't really argue with that one_, thought the girl happily.

Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 4.

"Well, we'll talk about that some other time," said Shinjiro. "I'm gonna go check up on Fuuka..." The sound of glass shattering met their ears. "...Too late," said Shinjiro with a wince.

They helped Fuuka clean up, before Minako returned to her room.

_It almost feels as if senpai's showing me a whole different side of himself_, thought the girl. _Just like the Moon..._

**And that's the end...I have one more chapter already written, so that'll be up once I type it...Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	8. September 14

**Yo...here's the last one that I have so far...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters...**

September 14-Evening

"There's someplace I wanna go today," said Shinjiro. He and Minako were in the lounge of their dorm. "You wanna come along?"

"Of course," replied Minako with a smile. "I'd love to."

"Great, let's get moving," said Shinjiro. He then led the girl over to Chagall Cafe in Paulownia Mall.

_He wanted to come here...?_

The two sat down opposite one another and Shinjiro looked at Minako.

"Uh... What do you want?" he asked.

Minako thought for a moment before deciding on coffee.

"Mm... Two coffees, please," Shinjiro requested. After ordering, he began to cough.

_Is he alright? He looks like he's in pain..._thought the girl. She asked him whether he was okay, concern on her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," replied the young man. "It's not contagious or anything, so don't worry." He smiled slightly as he said this.

_That's not what I'm worried about..._

Perhaps Shinjiro realized this, for he added, "...It happens once in a while. That's why I try not to come to these kinds of places that often."

This confused Minako. "Why did we come here today, then?"

"...I need to buy something," Shinjiro replied after a brief pause. "Ground coffee. I need to make sure I don't forget to buy some on the way out."

"What are you gonna use it for?" asked Minako curiously, somehow knowing it wasn't simply for drinking coffee.

Shinjiro hesitated slightly. "It's for cooking," he answered with a faint blush. And when Minako giggled he continued. "Hey, you're the one who brought it up. You said all that stuff about treating the guys from the dorm..."

"I'll help out too," said Minako suddenly.

"No, it's alright," said Shinjiro. Catching the look on her face, he smiled. "...Don't get all offended. It's not like I don't trust your cooking skills."

_Well, he should trust them_, thought Minako. _I mean, I may not be as good as him or anything, but I still know how to cook... Wait, if that's not it, then why won't he let me help?_

Shinjiro decided to answer that thought. "It's just that, how do I put it... You won't be able to enjoy it if you help out..."

_Oh...I see... So, he really wants me to enjoy his cooking... Well, he doesn't need to worry about that._

"We'll do it once I decide on what I'm gonna serve," said Shinjiro, pulling Minako out of her thoughts. With another smile, he added, "...Even if it tastes awful, you better be responsible and tell everyone it's great."

"...Really...?"

Shinjiro laughed and Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 5.

The two of them talked about the plan to treat everyone in the dorm for a while.

"Should we get going?" Shinjiro questioned a little bit later. "They'll worry if you're out too late..."

Minako agreed and they headed home for that night, after the coated young man purchased some ground coffee, of course.

_I wonder why he actually agreed to this whole, treating everyone plan_, thought the crimson eyed girl. _I figured he'd say no...or at least argue a bit about it... Senpai smiles allot more that he used to... He looks really attractive when he smiles... Uh oh...this isn't good... I'm not falling for him...am I...?_

**And that's the end to the last part I actually have written...Next bit will be up once I continue playing the game...Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	9. September 16

**Yo…I finally got a little farther in the game…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters…**

September 16-Evening

Shinjiro and Minako were standing in the dorm's lounge, speaking.

"Well then, let's do it today…" said Shinjiro.

_Do what…? _The girl thought for a brief moment before remembering. _Riiight, dinner for the others. _Shinjiro's sudden smile pulled her out of her thoughts.

"You better not go anywhere, all right?" he said. "Just be patient and wait about an hour."

_But I don't like waiting!_

Before Minako could say anything, the young man called out to Fuuka and the two of them headed into the kitchen.

_He's really gonna do this, huh? _Thought Minako. _Well, I might as well watch. I have nothing else to do and homework's boring. _With that, she went and sat down at the counter as Shinjiro spoke.

"I've already got everything ready beforehand, like I taught you to do last time. You remember what to do from here?"

"Yes! Um… I need to put oil in the frying pan!" Fuuka replied.

"That's right…" Shinjiro nodded.

_Hmm, I wonder what they're maki- _Minako's thought was cut off suddenly.

"Wait, what're you doing with the cooking wine?" questioned Shinjiro. "I said olive oil. It's over there."

Minako watched Fuuka take the oil their senpai had indicated.

"Umm, four tablespoons of oil… Right?"

"Put that ladle away!" barked the coated man. "Haven't you ever seen a measuring spoon before!"

"Ohh… So that's what this thing is," said Fuuka, picking it up.

The crimson eyed girl sighed inwardly. _I think this is gonna take a while…_ She watched Shinjiro cook like a boss, while he taught Fuuka to make something totally different at the same time.

"I wanna help too," whined Minako.

Shinjiro glanced over his shoulder at her with a smile. "Nah, stay put. It's way too crowded over here. 'Sides, we're trying to keep it a secret." He laughed as he said this.

Minako bit her lip as Fuuka turned to look at her.

"I-I'm sorry, Minako-chan. If only I was better at cooking…" she sighed.

Minako simply waved the apology away, hoping Fuuka hadn't caught the look on her face.

"Just hush up and watch what you're doing," Shinjiro half scolded. "A piece of eggshell just fell in there."

Fuuka looked down and blinked in surprise. "Huh? Oh, you're right. It's amazing that you noticed that, senpai."

"C'mon, I said to keep the egg white. Why is the yolk all by itself in the bowl?"

"Huh? When did that happen…?" asked Fuuka in confusion.

Minako laughed inwardly, as a delicious smell wafted over. However, before she could say anything, Junpei walked over. He too, seemed to have been attracted by the smell.

"Man, something smells good. …Huh? Is that you cooking, Fuuka?"

"H-He's teaching me right now!" Fuuka exclaimed, indicating Shinjiro.

Koromaru and Aigis wandered over as well.

"Koromaru-san seems to be very anxious," said Aigis.

"Wow, that smells so good!" Yukari called as she came down the stairs. "It's making me all hungry…"

Akihiko followed behind her. "So Shinji's cooking… Will there be any leftovers?"

Minako laughed and Shinjiro spoke. "Can't you tell?"

The vested young man paused for a moment. "…You're supposed to be a good friend and make larger servings when you cook in front of lots of people."

_Umm, there's so much food here though, _thought Minako. _Does Akihiko-senpai really think that Fuuka, Shinjiro-senpai and I can eat it all by ourselves…?_

Shinjiro on the other hand, smiled slightly. "You're supposed to not be an idiot," he said in response to his friend's statement. "Look, there's obviously more that twelve servings here."

Junpei seemed quite surprised and Yukari smiled widely.

"Do you mean…?"

Minako turned to look at everyone. "So, who's hungry!"

"Me, me!" Yukari and Junpei called together.

"Me! Me! Me!" Akihiko called out as well, not sounding like a senior at all.

Shinjiro winced at the noise. "Shut up and siddown…"

_This is awesome! I love it!_

Koro-chan barked and Aigis translated. "He says that he is already seated."

Minako laughed again as everyone sat down, chatting about the food while Shinjiro and Fuuka (mainly Shinji) finished cooking. Every now and then, the beanied young man would yell at everyone to shut up…not that it worked much… Nearly two hours later, the table was groaning under the weight of all the food.

"Is…all this for us?" asked Yukari in surprise.

"Whoa… Is this some kind of party?" questioned Junpei, equally surprised.

As Minako drooled over the sight of the food, Fuuka ran upstairs to get Mitsuru, and Shinjiro instructed Akihiko to get Ken.

"I don't know how to make even one of these dishes…" said Junpei in a slightly jealous tone.

Yukari seemed to agree. "On top of that, they're all made from scratch, too…"

Fuuka and Akihiko led Mitsuru and Ken over.

"What's the matter?" questioned the redhead curiously. "Why are you all gathered together all of a sudden…?" Her eyes then fell upon the food. "What's…this all about? Did someone call a chef?"

Ken figured out what Mitsuru couldn't. "Huh…? Did Shinjiro-san make this?"

"Yep!" said Minako.

"…Everyone sit," commanded Shinjiro. Those standing sat down. "Now pick up your chopsticks…"

"Roger!"

"…And dig in," the young man finished with a small smile.

"Yes!" said Aigis.

"Thanks for the food!" Akihiko exclaimed, glowing like a child.

This order was what Minako had been waiting for. She ate a bit of everything, drowning herself in the taste.

_Oh god, I could die right now… This is amazing! How the heck does he make it taste so damn good!_

"Oh man, I'm in heaven…" Yukari half moaned.

Junpei on the other hand, could hardly speak. "Th-This…! It's a portal to the delicious dimension!"

"…What does that even mean?" asked Mitsuru, who usually didn't understand Junpei talk.

Akihiko meanwhile, was behaving like a child. He was eating so fast that he began to choke. Fuuka gave him some water, before noticing Ken.

"Huh…? Aren't you going to eat, Ken-kun?" she asked.

"Oh…I'll have something," Ken replied somewhat awkwardly. "…Thanks for the food…"

"…Yeah," said Shinjiro.

Minako seemed to be the only one to notice this awkward exchange, but she put the thought away and continued eating. Once they had finished, everyone cleaned up and headed to their respective rooms, leaving Minako and Shinjiro in the lounge alone, sipping tea.

"Looks like everyone enjoyed it," said Shinjiro with a smile. He gave a quiet laugh.

"That was really fun," said Minako happily.

The young man laughed again. "Haha… Is that so… If you hadn't brought up the idea, I probably never would've done something like this." His expression changed into one of pain. "It was so simple, and all I had to do was do it…" He muttered that last part to himself.

_So…does that mean I sorta gave him the courage to do this…? _Minako wondered. _Huh…every time I'm with senpai…I feel like I'm getting closer to the feelings he keeps bottled up…_

Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 6.

Shinjiro coughed with a wince and then sighed. Minako looked at him.

"Today really tired me out," he said. "I'm gonna go to bed." He met the girl's eyes. "You should head off to bed soon, too. …'Night."

"Good night, senpai," said Minako getting to her feet reluctantly.

_I don't want to go to bed… I wanna talk to him more… _She gave her head a little shake. _Idiot, just talk to him again tomorrow or something. It's not like he's going anywhere…_

**And yeah…I dunno if anyone noticed my 'like a boss' reference…I just had to add it…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	10. September 23

**Yo…so this part isn't an actual Social Link rank moment…it takes place after the typhoon…during that film festival…I figured I'd add it since it was kinda cute…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters…**

September 23-Daytime

The typhoon had passed and Minako was feeling much better. Hearing about an all day film festival, she decided to invite Shinjiro along with her. She had gone to ones with everyone except him. Even Koromaru!

"Huh…? Film Festival…? I totally forgot they had those…" said Shinjiro when the girl brought it up. "Not that I've ever been to one."

"C'mon, senpai. Why don't we go together?" she asked.

"With me…? Wouldn't you have more fun if you went with one of your girl friends?"

_No. …I wanna go with you._

"…Well, I don't care of you don't."

"I don't."

"…Let's go, then."

"Yes!"

The two headed over to Port Island Station's movie theater. It was a little crowded because of the movie marathon, but they made it through…mainly due to Shinjiro's towering, menacing figure.

_The Incredible Pet Stories series…? THAT'S what they're showing today? …Maybe I should have brought Koro-chan with me instead._

"Are we…really watching this?" asked Shinjiro hesitantly. He paused for a moment. "Well… If this is what you really want, I guess I'm game too."

_Really? …I thought he'd say no for sure…_thought Minako in surprise.

They made their way into the theater and took their seats a few minutes later. They watched the movies in silence, watched the small animals using all their strength to survive, to live on…

The two left the theater after the last move, blinking in the sudden and extremely annoying sunlight.

_Wow, those were actually kinda sad… I nearly cried. …I wonder what senpai thought… _Minako looked over at Shinjiro.

"…The river…" he said.

"Huh?"

"It just…washed that dog away…"

_His eyes look a little red_, Minako realized. _Wait a second-_

"I…gotta go," said Shinjiro suddenly.

He quickly headed off, leaving the girl alone.

_Shinjiro-senpai was crying! That's so cute! _Minako headed back to the dorm, basking in this unbelievable thought…

**That's all for now…Next update will most likely be next weekend…but earlier if I get a chance to continue the game…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	11. September 25

**Yo…exams and culminating's been stopping me from playing the game, but I've got the next three parts done…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters…**

September 25-Evening

Standing in the dorm lounge, Shinjiro spoke to Minako.

"Mind if we step out for a bit?" he requested. When the girl looked at him curiously, he said, "It's just, I feel uncomfortable…"

"Did something happen?" asked Minako.

Shinjiro blushed slightly as he responded. "It's nothing like that, but…" He trailed off and the crimson eyed girl decided to spare him.

Once the two were outside the building, Shinjiro sighed. "Seriously… Sorry… Those guys keep yapping at me."

"Um…yapping at you?"

Shinjiro finally decided to explain. "You remember how I cooked for them the other day?"

"Yeah," said Minako, automatically nodding.

"They keep going on and on about how delicious it was and how I should so it again…"

_Ahh…I see. Maybe I shouldn't have talked him into doing that. I didn't want him to be bothered and stuff…but I really liked it…_

Shinjiro continued. "Aki keeps pushing these requests on me; Fuuka's throwing cookbooks at me… And whenever I walk past the kitchen, they all stare at me like they're just waiting for me to do something…"

"I have my hopes up too," said Minako with a smile.

"Hey, don't look at me like that," said Shinjiro, laughing. "Well…I'm glad they liked it."

_Well, at least he's relaxed now_, thought Minako happily.

Still smiling, Shinjiro continued. "Do you think it's funny that I did that? You think it isn't like me? I mean, there's nothing wrong with having good memories to grow up with."

"Yeah…that's true."

"We've got two kids at the dorm, anyway. One big one, and one tiny one…" said Shinjiro.

Minako let out a giggle. _Ken and Akihiko-senpai I'm guessing…_

"How about you?" questioned the young man after a pause.

"Me?"

"Did you have fun too?"

The girl's face lit up. "Of course I did! It's thanks to you, though," she confessed.

"Hey, all I did was cook for you guys," said Shinjiro. "If you had fun, it was because of everybody else." He laughed.

_Well…the others were part of it_, thought the girl. _But…Shinjiro-senpai really is the main reason to why I had fun…_

Shinjiro suddenly became serious. "Making memories is important," he said. "People can go on as long as they have good things look back on… They'll be able to go on without being led astray…"

_He's right_, thought Minako. _Good memories…those are something everyone has…no matter how tough things have been… Even if it's just one…_

"You know, you…" Shinjiro looked straight at Minako. He paused and suddenly seemed to change his mind on what he was about to say. "Shouldn't you be doing something else?" he questioned. "You shouldn't be with me like this… Don't you…have more fun things to do?"

"It's fun being with you," Minako replied softly.

Shinjiro blushed slightly. "Well…all right, then."

_That's it? That's all he says…? Heh…_

Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 7.

"Might as well stop by somewhere, since we're already out," said the young man, smiling again. "…You want some ice cream from the convenience store? My treat."

Minako stood there open mouthed. "Ice cream!" she suddenly exclaimed.

Shinjiro bought her the treat and they walked around for a little while before making their way back to the dorm.

_That idiot_, thought the girl. _Who's he to tell me I shouldn't hang out with him…? I WANT to be around him…hasn't he realized it yet?_

**That's the end of this SL session…just gotta type the next couple of parts up…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	12. September 26

**Yo…here's the next part…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters…**

September 26-Evening

Minako approached Shinjiro, who was standing back in a shadowy corner, only to have him address her first.

"Minako… You mind coming with me?"

The girl noted how serious her senpai seemed, and agreed right away. He thanked her and they left the dorm. Pretty soon, they were standing in Port Island Station's ominous back alley. They were the only ones there.

_Why did we come here? _Minako wondered.

"…Here we are again," said Shinjiro. He paused and looked at her. "That reminds me, I met you here, too…"

Minako smiled slightly, remembering what had taken place that evening.

"Back then, I never imagined that I'd go back there…" Shinjiro continued.

_Back there…? …Oh, he must mean back to S.E.E.S and the dorm._

"I'm glad that you came back," said Minako truthfully.

Shinjiro tilted his head. "…I doubt that I'm bringing that much to the team, though," he said with a shrug.

_You ARE helping…_

The young man then turned to the wall and looked down.

_He seems…way less confident than usual_, Minako realized.

Shinjiro smiled a pained smile and Minako looked at him curiously.

"You're…a pain," he said.

"What…?"

His smile faded and his expression simply became one of pain.

"You keep messing things up for me…" he explained. "I keep thinking that my life is the way it's supposed to be, but… Sheesh… Your face keeps popping up in my head…"

_My face…? _Minako wondered. _I don't really understand what he's saying but, at least he's somewhat letting me closer to himself…_

Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 8.

Shinjiro smiled again. "…Guess we should head back," he said. "We actually have a place we can go back to."

The two headed back to the dorm.

_I still don't get it…but I feel kinda…happy…_

**This one was pretty short, huh? Still gotta type up the next one…it should be up in a few minutes…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	13. September 28

**Yo…this is the last part that I have so far…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters…**

September 28-Evening

Minako once again asked Shinjiro to hang out, and the two stood together in the lounge. The young man looked at the girl as he began to speak.

"Today… Why don't we stay here?"

"Here…?"

"Sit over there," Shinjiro commanded.

"Okay…"

The two sat down and simply stared at each other. The lounge was empty, save for them. The others were all upstairs. Koromaru was keeping Junpei company in his room because the teen had been freaked out by a horror movie.

"C'mon, say something," said Shinjiro, breaking the silence.

"Should I tell a scary story? Minako asked, remembering Junpei.

Shinjiro blinked. "What's up with that…?" And then he smiled. "Oh, yeah… You seemed into ghost stories that first time you went to that back alley, too…"

_Heh, I'm surprised he remembered._

"Seriously, you're such a kid…"

"Am not!" Minako exclaimed. _Ugh, he's clearly enjoying this… _Despite this thought, the girl began to speak, about so many different things. Though as she spoke, Minako couldn't help but notice some things. _Even though his expression isn't really changing…why does he seem…lonely…?_

"Are you done?" Shinjiro asked after Minako had finished. "C'mon, tell me more." He smiled. "Encore, encore!"

He laughed and Minako began to speak once more. She spoke about school, the clubs she had joined, all her friends, even what she'd seen on TV. She spoke about whatever she could think of, and Shinjiro just sat there in silence the entire time. He just sat there watching and listening to her talk. Eventually the girl ran out of things to tell the beanied young man about.

"Sounds like you're enjoying your days," said Shinjiro. "You look best when you laugh." He suddenly looked at her seriously. "So don't cry, got it…?"

"Of course I won't!" Minako exclaimed with a smile.

"Yeah…" said Shinjiro, looking pained. "Keep smiling. Just like that." He looked down and muttered, "I gotta make sure I don't leave anything behind… No doubts, no regrets…"

_What is he talking about? What regrets?_

And Minako asked him just that.

"I keep telling you what to forget and what to remember… What to want and to not want… I'm…selfish, aren't I?" asked Shinjiro.

_No…you aren't… _"That's not true," said the girl.

There was a silence, and Shinjiro looked at Minako.

"…Hey. As long as I'm already being selfish, I want you to do one more thing for me."

"All right," said Minako immediately.

"You don't have to forgive me… But forgive everything else…"

The crimson eyed girl was now fully confused.

"I don't have to forgive…? I don't get it…"

"…You'll understand later," said Shinjiro. "It should be like this for a little longer… I just want it to be…normal…" He smiled as he looked down at his hands.

_I don't understand what he wants me to do_, thought Minako. _But it seems really important…_

Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 9.

The girl let out an involuntary yawn, catching her senpai's attention.

"Is it getting late?" he asked. He reached into his pocket , but his hand came out empty. "…Ugh, I forgot that I don't have my watch," he said.

Minako looked at him curiously. "Did you lose it?"

"Yeah, I lost it somewhere sometime ago… Damn it…" He sighed.

_A pocketwatch, huh? I guess it meant allot to him…_

"So?" questioned Shinjiro a moment later. "You have any more?"

_Any more what?_

"I want to hear what you've got to say. You've got more stories up your sleeve, right? …Anything's fine."

The two sat there together, late into the night with Minako speaking and Shinjiro listening.

_It almost feels as if he's trying to drown himself in my voice_, Minako realized. _Just what is it that he's trying so hard to forget…?_

**This is all I have so far…Dunno when the next part will be up…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	14. October 2

**Yo…I had this part written down for a while, but I never got around to typing it up…sorry bout that…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters…**

October 2-Evening

Having found Shinjiro's pocketwatch, Minako decided to return it to him.

"You…" he said when she approached. He paused, thinking.

It didn't seem like he was going to be speaking anytime soon, so Minako pulled out the pocketwatch she had gotten from Officer Kurosawa.

"That's…!" Shinjiro seemed quite surprised. "…Hey… Come with me, okay?"

The girl agreed and soon found herself at Naganaki Shrine. There was no one else around and it was a quiet night.

"Where did you find this?" Shinjiro suddenly asked.

"The police station," Minako replied. "Kurosawa-san had it."

"I see…" The young man fiddled around with the watch absentmindedly. "I thought It'd be fine if I never saw this again…" he continued. "But I never imagined that you of all people would bring it to me."

_Why does he look so serious?_ Minako wondered. _He didn't expect this at all? It was so obvious that I was gonna look for it._

After a pause Shinjiro spoke again.

"This isn't really to pay you back, but I want you to have this. I was hesitating about if I should give it to you or not."

He had the girl extend her arm, and he strapped something to her wrist.

Minako looked down. _A leather watch…?_

"I thought it'd look good on you…" said Shinjiro, looking as if he was awaiting her reaction.

"Thank you," said Minako gratefully.

"Yeah…" He looked away, embarrassed. Shinjiro stared down at his feet for a long time. "…Look after Aki," he finally said. Smiling, he added, "…You know he's an idiot. You remember the story about the first fight we ever had?"

Minako nodded and a sad look came upon the coated man's face.

"It was because…I stole a doll from a toy store," he explained. "Aki's sister couldn't make any friends. I stole it because I thought it'd make her happy. Aki found out about it and beat the crap outta me…and he was crying the whole time."

"Heh…" _So he's always been a softy…_

"Afterwards, we both went back to the store to return it…and to apologize for what I did," he recounted. "The toy store's owner smacked us both." He smiled again. "…He hasn't changed at all from back then. He's stupid, honest, proud, kind…and a crybaby."

Minako couldn't help but let out a soft giggle. _I don't think Akihiko-senpai would be very happy if he figured out I was told all this._

"…That's why someone needs to be by his side," said Shinjiro, rousing the girl out of her thoughts.

"We'll be by his side," said Minako.

Shinjiro looked at her. "Yeah…I'll be counting on all of you." He sounded relieved and then he smiled. "I ain't worried at all, because I know you're with him. I'm leaving the rest to you." He had a kind expression on his face when he said this.

The girl nodded automatically, completely lost in that smile. However, she could tell that she now had Shinjiro's full trust.

Minako felt a surge of power as the Moon Arcana ranked up to 10, maxing out the Social Link.

When the girl next looked at Shinjiro, she noticed that same sad, lonely look on his face once more.

"The wind's starting to pick up…" he said a moment later. He looked at Minako with a smile. "I kinda want to stay here a little longer if we can, but…aren't you cold?" In a tender voice that made the girl's heart throb, he added, "Hey, you're gonna catch something. C'mere…"

He allowed Minako in invade his personal space. He draped his burgundy pea coat over her shoulders, ensuring that she'd stay warm. The two sat there, talking for a long time. That tender expression didn't leave Shinjiro's face the entire time.

_Why was he speaking as if he's leaving? _Minako wondered. _I don't want him to leave… I…I think I love him… No, that can't be… I can't possibly be in love… _The moments she had shared with Shinjiro thus far flashed through her head. _I don't believe it… How did this happen? I…I'm in love with Shinjiro-senpai…_

**Yeah…that's all I got…That last thing Shinji says there makes me feel all…fangirly…anyway, still working on the next part since it has the whole…special moment that the game doesn't show you…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	15. October 3

**Yo...Sorry this took so long...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters...**

October 3- Evening

Minako had just returned to the dorm. She had spent all day thinking about Shinjiro, wondering whether her feelings for him were genuine or not. She had finally decided that they were and that she needed to tell him.

She spotted him standing in his shadowy corner and approached him, telling herself to calm down. The closer she got the quicker her heart began to beat. Before she knew it, Minako was standing in front of Shinjiro.

He looked up. "You... I'm okay... I feel better after out talk," he said. "...Take care of them. I believe in you."

He had sounded dismissive, but she didn't turn away. Shinjiro seemed to realize that she wasn't going to be leaving.

"Shouldn't you be with the others...?" he questioned. "I can't give you anything or do anything for you."

"I want to be with you," said Minako.

"...You can stare at me like that all day," said Shinjiro. "I got nothing for you. Haven't you wasted enough time on me? What more do you want?"

_Wasted...? I didn't waste my time by hanging out with you. I did it because I wanted to_, thought Minako. She took a breath. This was it; she had to tell him. "I love you."

Shinjiro immediately began to blush. "...Huh?" He seemed speechless. "D-Don't tease me like that!"

"You don't believe me?" Minako asked rather calmly.

"That's...not it, but..." The young man almost seemed panicked. "I mean, why just blurt out something like that? Here, of all places...?"

Minako glanced over her shoulder towards the others. They were talking and the tv was on as well. Minako looked back at Shinjiro.

"Come to my room, then," she said.

"I-I can't do that," said Shinjiro. "I mean, you're... Well, people are gonna get the wrong idea."

Minako rested the temptation to roll her eyes. _I don't care what the others think. What does it matter? They have nothing to do with this... _Out loud, she said, "That just leaves your room, then."

Shinjiro blushed even more. "Y-You moron. I...I ain't a nice guy. I can't let you in my room. ...Don't you get it?"

_Oh, I get it alright..._ "I still want to go," said Minako.

"No way. It's not gonna happen. Look, you need to watch yourself. Don't bother with someone like me," said Shinjiro.

Minako sighed inwardly. _He still doesn't get it, does he? _"I still love you, senpai!" she exclaimed. ...Nothing was going to change that...

"Idiot..." said Shinjiro.

Knowing the girl wasn't going to give up, he allowed her to enter his room on the second floor. ...More like she forced her way in, actually.

_His room is so empty_, Minako noted. _Just like mine..._

Shinjiro came to stand in front of her.

"...So? Happy now?" he questioned. "You're always pushing me around all the time... You're just gonna ignore what I want, huh?" He sighed, then looked her right in the eyes. "Yeah, well, two can play that game."

And before Minako even had a chance to be confused, she found herself in Shinjiro's tight, warm embrace.

"This is your fault, you know," he mumbled into her ear. "I'm all confused. You're all I can think about, day and night. Dammit, this isn't how it's supposed to be..." He let her go. "You get it, right? Go back to your room. If you don't go now, you're not gonna get another chance."

Minako looked at him, heart pounding, but face calm. "I'm not going anywhere!"

Shinjiro sighed again, looking fed up. "You're a real piece of work, you know that...?"

"I know."

"Tch... I'm gonna make myself clear..." said Shinjiro. His grey eyes bore right into her crimson ones. "...I ain't holding back anymore."

Minako clearly knew what this meant. She knew what was going to happen if she didn't leave the room. ...Was she really ready for this...?

The girl turned and walked towards the door. Shinjiro turned as well, hands clenching into fists, he shoved them deep into his pockets. He hadn't actually expected that the girl would leave. He had turned, because he didn't want to see it happen. He stood there, waiting to hear the snap of the door when it closed.

Instead of hearing a snap however, the young man heard a click. The click of the lock. He spun around. Minako stood with her back to him, fingers on the door's lock. Slowly, she turned around to face him.

"I don't recall saying that I wanted you to hold back," she said quietly.

Before she had even realized what had happened, Minako found her back pressed against the wood of the door and Shinjiro's lips had crashed onto her own.

When the two broke apart for air, Minako's chest rose and fell rapidly, her expression one of shock. She hadn't expected her first kiss to be so...rough.

She wrapped her arms around Shinjiro's neck, surprising him by pulling him into another kiss. This one was a little gentler, but no less passionate.

Shinjiro pulled the hair tie and pins out of Minako's hair, letting the locks fall to their proper place around her shoulders.

Minako reached up and pulled Shinjiro's beanie off, letting it fall before tangling her fingers into his brown hair. Hoping she was doing it right, she deepened the kiss slightly, running her tongue along Shinjiro's, causing him to groan.

Needing air, the couple broke apart, though only slightly. They could still feel each others warm breath.

Shinjiro tugged at the ribbon around Minako's neck, undoing it and pulling it away. He let it fall before gripping the hairs at the back of the girl's neck. He tilted her head back, giving himself better access to her neck. He ducked his head and began pressing hot, wet kisses along the column of her throat.

Minako let out a gasp as Shinjiro began to suck on the junction between her neck and shoulder.

Shinjiro chuckled. "What? Do you like that?"

"S-Shinji..."

The coated young man lowered his fingers to Minako's shirt. He attempted to undo the small buttons, but was having difficulty. It wasn't like he could actually concentrate...

After another moment or so of struggling, he finally managed to unbutton the damn thing. He helped her pull it off and then threw it off somewhere.

Shinjiro suddenly picked Minako up and carried her over to his bed. He gently laid her down, before climbing over her. He lifted her up slightly and fumbled with the clasp at her back. It came undone after a moment and he pulled the bra off, tossed it off the side of the bed, leaving Minako half bare.

Minako blushed, but didn't stop Shinjiro when his mouth closed around one of the mounds. He rolled the hardened bud with his tongue before sucking slightly.

The girl abruptly shoved Shinjiro away though, and he looked at her in confusion as she sat up.

Minako wanted to touch him too, to feel his skin on hers, and that jacket wasn't helping. She reached out and began to undo the large buttons, shoving the heavy material off his shoulders afterwards.

Realizing what she was trying to do, Shinjiro pulled the coat off completely and tossed it over the side of the bed. It landed on the floor with a flump.

Minako then spotted the black turtleneck and stared in disbelief.

"You wear too many clothes, Shinji," she said, looking up at him.

Shinjiro chuckled deeply, reaching down to pull the sweater up over his head. This too, joined the clothes on the floor and the young man was now also half bare, evening the odds.

Minako's gentle fingers first flattened his hair to ground the static, before sliding down to his chest, where her crimson eyes were now locked. She knew he didn't work out, but he was still toned. Each muscle was defined, yet not in a bad way. Fighting with a heavy battle axe in Tartarus must have helped him with that. He had scars though, a few of them. The dark battle wounds contrasted against his light skin.

Minako ducked down and pressed gentle kisses to each scar, as if hoping to ease the pain they had once caused.

She had seen the upper bodies of both Junpei and Akihiko as well. The first at Yakushima, at the beach and the second during their Full Moon battle at Shirakawa Boulevard a few months ago. Akihiko worked out all the time, but Junpei didn't. Despite this, Shinjiro was still the best from them all.

After she had finished pressing kisses to each scar, Minako worked her way back up until she reached his neck. She kissed his adams apple before nipping at it with her teeth.

A low growl emanated deep within his chest and Shinjiro shoved Minako back down onto the bed.

"If you keep doing things like this, your first time isn't gonna be too gentle..." said the young man.

Minako smiled slightly, a faint pink tinge to her cheeks.

"Maybe I don't want it to be gentle," she mumbled.

"Idiot... Your first time should always be gentle...even if you don't want it to..."

He crawled over her once more, keeping himself propped up on his hands and knees, one of which, was placed between the girl's legs. He nipped at her neck as one of his hands carefully roamed up Minako's smooth leg and under her skirt. He started tracing meaningless patterns dangerously close to where she wanted him.

"Shinji..."

Shinjiro looked at Minako and knew he had permission to go further. So, he straightened up and in one swift motion, pulled off both the girl's skirt and panties. She was completely bare now and highly embarrassed.

He pressed his lips to her's, kissing her as he coaxed her to open her legs for him. She did so, beginning to kiss him back, a battle of the tongues ensuing.

Shinjiro focused his attention fifty fifty between Minako's mouth and core, where his fingers had begun stroking.

He smiled into their kiss upon discovering exactly how much she was enjoying herself. Her wetness made it easy to slip two fingers inside her.

Minako broke away from the kiss and let out a gasp.

"S-Shinji...!"

Loving the reaction, Shinjiro continued pumping his fingers in and out, keeping a steady enough pace. He wanted to draw it out as long as possible...for now, anyway.

"A-Ah...! S-Shinji...! M-More...!"

Minako was having a hard time forming a coherent sentence, but the young man clearly understood, for he increased the pace of his fingers.

He began to hit something within her, causing small stars to erupt in front of her eyes.

"M-Mngh...! O-Oh god...! P-Please...don't stop!"

The girl had never felt this way before and she couldn't stop her moans even if she wanted to. Shinjiro's fingers continued to rapidly pump into her, now burning white hot. Minako couldn't think straight, she could hardly breathe. She clutched at the sheets around her and her back arched. She let out a soft cry as she climaxed for the first time. She fell back, panting as Shinjiro slowly removed his fingers. He brought them to his mouth, licking them clean, completely aware that Minako was watching him through half-lidded eyes.

She looked quite beautiful after an orgasm, Shinjiro realized.

Her pale body shone with a thin layer of sweat, her chest rose and fell quickly, lips parted as she tried to regain her breath.

But if she thought he was ending it there, she was wrong. Very wrong.

"Ah!"

Minako let out an involuntary gasp when she felt his warm breath between her legs. She looked down in alarm and saw his head perched there, hands keeping her legs apart. A moment later, she felt his warm tongue lick her wet folds.

It was done rather tentatively at first, but Shinjiro gained confidence when he heard Minako let out a soft moan. He continued, increasing his pace and finally focused on the girl's clit, which he had thus far ignored.

He rolled it around with his tongue before beginning to suck. It was done the same way as her mound earlier, but the reaction couldn't be any more different.

She was half sitting, half laying down, one hand gripping the sheets, the other, Shinjiro's hair. Her eyes were shut tight and her mouth was slightly open, but not a single sound was being emanated.

Shinjiro felt the grip on his hair tighten to and almost painful hold, and knew Minako was once more reaching an end. So therefore, his tongue continued to pay around with her clit.

Moments later, the girl climaxed again, with another soft cry. The young man lapped at the juices, enjoying the taste as Minako regained her breath.

She sat up and he then did too.

"This isn't fair," she said, blushing again. "You're still half dressed..."

Shinjiro chuckled. "Maybe you can take care of that..."

Minako smiled and reached out, beginning to undo the belt.

"Maybe I will," she giggled.

Getting the belt undone was easy, as was the button on his pants, but the girl had a tough time with the zipper. She tugged at it, trying to get it down, but it was quite difficult, as there was a rather large bulge in the way.

Finally, a moment later, it come down and she had the young man kick the material off, along with his boxers.

Now Shinjiro was naked too, just like her.

Minako's eyes widened in surprise when they caught sight of his length. It was...really big... Was that even going to fit inside her...?

Shinjiro chuckled when he saw the look on Minako's face.

"Give me your hand," he said.

The girl did as told and watched Shinjiro position it, holding his length. Then, keeping his hand over her's, he began to move them up and down, pumping quickly.

Minako soon got the hang of it and continued on by herself. At one point, she squeezed his manhood and he let out a groan, causing her to look up at him.

Shinjiro's eyes had slipped shut and his expression clearly showed that he liked what she was doing. Minako gave another squeeze and Shinjiro groaned once more, a little louder this time.

"Minako..."

Shinjiro had had enough of this. He wanted-no-needed the girl. And he needed her now. Minako allowed him to push her onto her back. He kept himself propped over her and kissed her deeply.

Breaking apart, he positioned himself at her entrance and looked her right in the eyes, wanting conformation.

"Minako...are you sure about this...?"

He had been the one to start it, he was the desperate one, but he didn't want to hurt the girl. That was the very last thing he wanted to do...

Minako smiled gently. "Yes, I'm sure," she replied. "I want this... I want you..."

"Alright..."

Minako's arms came around him as she bared herself for the pain that was to come. Shinjiro began to slowly slide into her, just the head of his manhood. Then, with one, quick thrust, he broke the barrier between them and was fully sheathed in her warmth.

The girl let out a soft cry as pain coursed through her body. It had hurt more than she thought it would.

Shinjiro comforted her though, He pressed kisses to her skin, hands stroking, trying to sooth the pain and control himself at the same time.

Soon, Minako felt the pain ebb away. Her grip on the young man slackened and he took this as a sign that he could now move.

Shinjiro began to move, thrusting slowly at first, so that Minako could get used to it. Which was a good thing, because he noticed her wince the first few times.

Restlessness began to fill Minako. She began to urge her lover to move faster, telling him that it was alright to do so.

This was what Shinjiro had been waiting for. Slow and steady was not the way he wanted to do this, but because he was unwilling to hurt the girl, he had paced himself. No longer did he need to do that though.

The young man increased his pace, thrusting faster and hitting her deeper, hips meeting hers each time, causing the girl to gasp.

Minako's hands clutched at Shinjiro's shoulders, as she tried her best to keep up with his pace, gasping and moaning softly into his ear.

It was very quiet in the dorm now. The loud tv from a floor below had been turned off and the barking and laughter had subsided. The others had clearly gone to bed early that night, preparing themselves for the Full Moon the next day.

The only sounds that remained, were the soft gasps, moans and grunts made by the young couple, and the creaks of the bed as it moved beneath them. None of these sounds were loud enough to disturb anyone though.

Shinjiro angled himself, wanting to go deep enough to hit Minako's special place.

He succeeded.

Minako's hold on his shoulders tightened and she gave a low moan.

M-Mngh...ahh...!"

She could feel herself nearing an end and her back began to arch, nails now digging into the young man's skin.

"S-Shinji...! I-I can't...!"

"...Minako..." Shinjiro called in warning, a couple of thrusts later.

He was giving her a chance, telling her that now was the time for him to pull out if she wanted him to.

"No... Don't stop...!"

She wanted him fully and was willing to risk it for him.

Shinjiro complied and continued his thrusts, which were rather rough and uneven now, as it was becoming difficult for him to keep a steady pace.

Minako's eyes slipped closed and her nails drew blood from Shinjiro's shoulders.

"...S-Shinji...!"

She called out his name in a breathy moan that was half a cry as she began to climax, her walls tightening around her lover's length.

Shinjiro tried to keep going, but the tightness squeezed him, causing him to groan out and climax as well.

"...M-Minako...!"

Then, he collapsed on top of her, just as the Dark Hour struck.

The two laid there for a while, panting and trying to regain their breath, but paying no attention to the eerie, green glow that now filled the silent room.

Regaining some senses, Shinjiro rolled off of Minako and pulled her close to him instead.

"Shinji...?" the girl voiced a moment later.

"Yeah...?"

Minako looked at him, cheeks a little pink, but crimson eyes gentle.

"I love you," she said.

Shinjiro smiled and tucked her against his chest, an arm around her small waist, holding her firmly.

"I love you too, Minako..." he replied softly.

He felt her smile against his chest before she nuzzled closer, falling into a content sleep.

Shinjiro pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head as dread and guilt filled him.

"I'm sorry..." he whispered.

He knew what was going to happen in the next twenty-four hours. It was inevitable. Falling in love with Minako...it wasn't supposed to happen. It had been the one thing he hadn't counted on. But as long as she didn't cry...he could still go through with it.

He held her tight against him, unwilling to let go. Never wanting to let go of this beautiful angel in his arms.

He still had this one last night though. He could indulge in his greed for just a little longer...

"Minako..."

The green moonlight streamed through the window, enveloping the bare couple in their tight embrace for the first and last time...

"I love you..."

And Shinjiro fell asleep as a single tear slid down Minako's soft, pale cheek...

**That's all for now...This is only my second time writing a...moment like this...so yeah...I'm still trying to improve that...Anyway, October 4th will be the next part...Such a sad day...Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	16. October 4

**Yo...well, here's the sad day...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters...**

October 4- Early Morning

Minako had woken up in Shinjiro's warm arms that morning. She smiled at that. She really did love him and she didn't regret what she had Shinjiro had done together the previous night.

She was feeling quite sore and knew she had to be a hundred percent for the Full Moon that night, so she decided to skip school.

She spent the entire day with Shinjiro and Koromaru, until the young man headed out in the evening to do something. He hadn't said what.

Before Minako knew it, the Dark Hour had struck, and she and most of S.E.E.S were standing in the Command Room, where Fuuka had summoned Lucia to look for their target. Minako glanced around the room. Both Shinjiro and Ken were missing.

_This really doesn't feel right_, she thought.

"I've located the target," said Fuuka suddenly, snapping Minako out of her thoughts.

Fuuka told them how the Shadow was at Iwatodai Station.

"This will be the tenth..." said Ikutsuki. "...Only a few left, but let's worry about them one at a time."

Minako frowned slightly. _There's gonna be two of them..._

Yukari then made a joke, saying assuming the Shadows come one at a time, and Fuuka said that Yukari was right, because she sensed two Shadows.

"...Where's Shinji?" questioned Akihiko abruptly.

Minako looked at him, wondering the exact same thing.

Fuuka was the one who responded however.

"He just notified me that he'll meet up with you later."

"Figures..." said Akihiko with a sigh. "He's always played by his own rules."

Minako looked back down and Yukari then noted that Ken wasn't around either. She sent Junpei to look for him and Mitsuru commanded that they all head out...

The group made their way over to Iwatodai Station's strip mall, where they could see two giant Shadows.

_There they are_, thought Minako, glancing at them. _Two, huh... I'll have to be careful about this one... Where the heck is Shinji...?_

Mitsuru inquired as to where Ken was and Junpei said he had no idea, since the kid hadn't been in his room.

"Dammit, Shinji. ...Where are you?" said Akihiko, looking around.

_There's definitely something wrong..._

Minako knew she didn't have a choice. They needed to start battle. They couldn't afford to wait any longer. So, she picked her team and they headed out.

_Please let Shinji be alright_, she thought desperately, as she made her first move on the enemy.

The battle was long, grueling and rather annoying because of that damn 'Wheel of Fortune' move, but they managed to defeat them.

Minako pushed her sweaty bangs out of her eyes, just as Aigis spoke.

"This time, those two who call themselves Strega did not interfere."

"It must be because we have Chidori," said Yukari.

Minako's eyes narrowed slightly. _That can't be it... I don't think that'll stop them... There's gotta be something else..._

Akihiko suddenly seemed to realize something.

"Today is...October fourth, huh... Just go back without me. I'm gonna go look for them for a while."

Them, meaning Shinjiro and Ken.

The red vested young man ran off, leaving the rest of them confused.

_I don't like this_, thought Minako. _I really don't like this..._

They returned to the dorm, but it was empty.

"What's so special about October fourth?" asked Junpei a little while later.

Mitsuru let out a sudden gasp. It seemed she too, had recalled something.

"This is the day Amada's mother was killed!"

Minako's head snapped up.

"What...?"

Mitsuru told Fuuka to look for Shinjiro and Ken, before she began to explain.

"Although her death was officially listed as an accident...we're the one's who killed Amada's mother."

Mitsuru explained how two years before, they had been pursuing a wild Shadow that was in the city. Shinjiro lost control of his Persona and it killed a woman nearby, Ken's mother...

_To Ken, Shinji is his mother's murderer... He...want's revenge...doesn't he...?_

Finally finding Shinjiro and Ken, Fuuka informed them that the two were at Tatsumi Port Island...and that another Persona-user was nearby. But it wasn't Akihiko...it was someone from Strega. Mitsuru ran off as soon as she heard this and the others followed.

_Please be okay... Please be okay... _Minako repeated over and over again.

They followed Mitsuru all the way to the back alley. Soon, Akihiko and Ken came into view.

_Where's... NO!_

Minako caught sight of Shinjiro on the ground...in what was quickly becoming a pool of blood.

"Shinjiro!" cried Mitsuru.

"Senpai!" cried Yukari.

"Shinjiro-senpai!" shouted Junpei.

"No..." gasped Fuuka.

Minako said nothing. She slowly approached her lover, kneeling down next to him, eyes full of tears. This was...impossible...

"Ken..." said Shinjiro weakly. He gave a small laugh, voice full of pain. "Heh... Why the long face? Isn't this...what you wanted? It's alright... Give yourself time... Let your anger be your strength. You're still just a kid, Ken... You got your whole life ahead of ya..." He took a pained breath. "So don't waste it... Make it your own... Okay?"

Ken tried to say something, but was unable to.

"...Aki. Take care of 'im..." Shinjiro continued.

A tearful Akihiko, who was kneeling on Shinjiro's other side, opposite Minako, said that he would.

Shinjiro then looked at Minako.

"Don't cry...Minako..." He reached up and wiped a tear away, leaving a streak of red in its place. He cupped her cheek. "This is how...it should be..." He coughed and gasped for a moment. His eyes slowly closed and his arm fell down onto Minako's lap.

_No...no...you can't leave me...you can't...!_

Minako was so lost, that she barely heard the others.

An ambulance was called for as soon as the Dark Hour ended. Shinjiro was taken to the hospital and the others followed behind. Mitsuru and Yukari were helping Akihiko, who was blinded by his own tears. Fuuka was helping Ken, who could barely walk and Junpei just kept close to Minako, knowing this had really affected her.

They sat outside Shinjiro's hospital room as they waited for the doctor to tell them what was going to happen.

Shinjiro had been shot twice in the chest. He was unconscious and unable to breathe on his own. He...was in a coma. One, he may never awaken from...

After hearing this, Minako leaned back into Junpei's friendly embrace, forcing herself not to cry. Shinjiro had told her not to, so she was going to be strong...for his sake.

**That's all for now...Dunno when the next part will be up...Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	17. October 9

**Yo…I just remembered that this recording thing comes up in the Command Room, so I thought I'd do it…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters…**

October 9- Evening

A few days after the Full Moon, Minako headed up to the Command Room to see if there were any new recordings saved on the system.

There was.

She pressed play and watched Shinjiro and Koromaru appear, watching tv in the lounge.

Her breath caught in her chest. This seemed to happen whenever Shinjiro was mentioned.

Minako refocused on the screen.

_"Today we're making spicy pepper pasta,"_ _said the tv chef. "The key ingredient is green cayenne pepper. Remember to remove the seeds first! After that, we'll prepare some kelp broth. You'll need a pasta cooker about this size, and…"_

_"Pasta cooker,"_ _said Shinjiro, who had been silently watching thus far. "Do we have one here…?"_

_"Arf…?" Koromaru barked his confusion._

Minako smiled. Of course he'd be thinking about cooking. _Did he just sit there watching cooking shows all day while we were at school?_

Voices suddenly came from outside.

_"It's still pretty hot out," said Fuuka with a sigh._

_"It requires energy to maintain an appropriate external temperature," came the voice of who was so obviously Aigis._

_"Aw crap…!" exclaimed Shinjiro._

_"Woof!"_

_Koromaru gave a bark as Shinjiro immediately feigned sleep, a magazine in his hands._

Minako giggled slightly at this. He really didn't want them to know he cooked, did he? Too bad she had changed that...

_"We have returned," said Aigis, as she and Fuuka walked in._

_"Woof! Woof!" greeted Koromaru._

_"We're home, Koro-chan!" Fuuka called. She suddenly noticed Shinjiro, who was still pretending to be sleeping. "Oh…shhh! We should be quiet. It looks like Shinjiro-senpai's asleep…"_

_"Arf!"_

_Aigis began to translate._

_"He says that…'Shinjiro-san is not asleep'."_

"Uh oh," said Minako with a laugh. "You forgot about Aigis didn't you, Shinji?"

_"Huh?" said Fuuka in confusion. "Senpai's magazine… It's the monthly guide to the 'Family Cooking' show… Does Shinjiro-senpai enjoy cooking shows?"_

"More than you think," mumbled Minako.

_"Woof."_

_Aigis began to translate once more, but Fuuka cut her off, hastily saying that she didn't need to know._

Minako began to laugh as Shinjiro stopped pretending to sleep after Fuuka and Aigis had walked off.

_Shinjiro let out a small grumble of annoyance._

_"Dammit…I forgot she understands dog talk…"_

_Koromaru let out a whine._

"Aww, you made Koro-chan sad!" said Minako, completely aware she was talking to a monitor.

_"Ahh, don't sweat it," said Shinjiro. "It ain't your fault." He smiled slightly. "Don't worry, boy… Next time, I'll make you something too, Koro-chan."_

_"Arf!"_

_Koromaru immediately cheered up and the recording ended there._

Minako stared at the blank screen where Shinjiro had just been displayed, a sad smile on her face. She really missed Shinjiro. She wanted to see him, but she knew she couldn't. He wasn't allowed visitors, for one thing. And with exams coming up and Tartarus, there wasn't really much time.

Besides, Minako didn't know it she could actually handle seeing Shinjiro at the moment. She knew she'd break down as soon as she entered the room.

Shinjiro had told her not to cry, something she was trying so hard to do.

_Please wake up soon, Shinji…_

**That's all for now…The next one will probably be the Christmas hospital thing…Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	18. December 25

**Yo…well damn, I can't believe it's been nearly six months since my last update… I'm really sorry. I just wasn't in a Persona mood and I got a new game over the summer and started playing that and never got around to getting back to P3P… But I finished this fic just yesterday. There're three chapters left and all I need to do is type them up.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters…**

December 25-After School

Class had just finished, but Minako hadn't moved from her seat yet. She was thinking. Christmas Eve had been spent with Fuuka and Yukari, but Minako had honestly been planning on spending Christmas with her boyfriend…with Shinjiro.

Almost unconsciously, the girl found herself leaving the school and heading to the hospital. Before she knew it, Minako was standing at the door outside Shinjiro's hospital room. Biting her lip, she stood there hesitating, wondering whether or not she should go in.

She wanted to see him, she really did, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to handle it. Taking a deep breath though, she braced herself. She glanced around quickly to make sure no one was watching (he wasn't allowed visitors yet) and slipped into the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

Minako's breath caught in her chest when she saw Shinjiro laying there. He was unconscious, obviously still in his coma and hooked up to a few different things, though the girl could hear the steady rhythm of his heart through the beeping of the heart monitor.

She approached him slowly and sat down on the chair by his bed, staring at him. He…was so pale. His lips were dry and cracked a little, but with a jolt, Minako noticed that he wasn't wearing a breathing mask. The girl smiled slightly, feeling a little relieved. If Shinjiro was now able to breathe on his own, it meant that he was recovering.

Minako reached out and took his hand, making sure it wasn't the one connected to the IV as she did so. She took a moment to calm herself and then began to speak.

"Hey, Shinji," she greeted quietly. "Surprised that I'm here? I bet you were expecting Akihiko-senpai, huh? He's always skipping class to see you…"

Shinjiro didn't respond or move, not that Minako was expecting otherwise.

"Allots happened since you…since October fourth," she continued. "We defeated Jin and Takaya and they ended up jumping off Moonlight Bridge, that's where we were. And we also defeated the last Full Moon Shadow too. We celebrated the end of the Dark Hour…only, Ikutsuki-san lied to us. He nearly killed us too…well, nearly had Aigis kill us, I should say. Defeating those Full Moon Shadows wasn't helping us, like we thought. It was actually helping to end the world. He and Mitsuru-senpai's dad shot each other and…they both died. Senpai was really devastated…we didn't see her for a while after that."

Minako paused for a moment as she braced herself for what else she was going to say.

"Then we found out that Chidori had gotten out of the hospital somehow and we ended up fighting her outside Tartarus. We beat her, but then…Jin and Takaya showed up. They…weren't dead. Takaya tried to shoot Chidori, saying that she'd been corrupted by us, but…Junpei…he covered her… He took the shot for her…just like you did for Ken. He got shot in the stomach…"

Shinjiro's hand twitched slightly within Minako's and she waited to see if anything else would happen. When nothing did, she went on.

"Chidori used her powers to save Junpei and she died… Junpei was really sad…I remember his crying allot, locking himself up in his room and everything. He really loved her...and I felt so bad, because there was nothing I could do to help him…" She sighed deeply, then went on. "And then we had a transfer student in our class named Ryoji. He was really nice, but was always flirting with all the girls…including me…hell, especially me. You know, Yukari told me that he asked Mitsuru-senpai out the first time he saw her…and lived to tell the tale! Heh… He even came to the dorm a few times because having him around really seemed to cheer Junpei up and that's what everyone wanted. Do you know how quiet it gets without him cheering and laughing…? Anyway, Aigis never liked Ryoji. She always said that he was dangerous…and now we know why…"

She paused again as the memories flooded through her mind.

"Ryoji's a Shadow…known as Death. Aigis fought him ten years ago on Moonlight Bridge after our school exploded. She couldn't defeat him…he was too strong. So, she sealed him inside a child who was standing nearby… Aigis sealed Ryoji…sealed Death, inside me."

Shinjiro's hand gave another twitch. These small reactions told Minako that her senpai was listening, even though he couldn't really respond.

"Don't you find it odd that those Full Moon Shadows started popping up just days after I came back here?" said Minako. "Everything that happened…it was all _my_ fault! Akihiko-senpai's injured ribs. Mitsuru-senpai's dad dying. Chidori dying. Your incident… All these happened because of me! And now, because of me, the end of the world is also coming…"

She explained, very briefly, about Nyx.

"But we also have a choice," she continued. "Because he was sealed inside me for so long, Ryoji was able to give us a choice. I can kill Ryoji, which would cause us to lose our memories. Killing him won't stop Nyx or anything, but we'd forget all about it and be able to live peacefully until…it happens. But killing Ryoji also means that we'll all forget each other and everything we went through. And I don't want to forget the others…forget you."

Minako tightened her grip once more. "So I've made my decision. I _will_ fight Nyx and I _will_ put an end to this." Here, she leaned over him, lips a breath away from his ear. "So please watch over me, Shinji. I'll make sure to be someone you can be proud of." She pulled back and lightly pressed her lips to his dry ones, running her fingers through his soft hair as she did so. "Merry Christmas, Shinji. I love you…"

**That's the end of this bit, next one will be up soon… Once again, sorry for the long wait...Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	19. January 31

**Yo…here we go with the next one…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own P3P or any of its characters…**

January 31-Dark Hour

They all stood at the top of Tartarus, with Nyx's force trying to shove them back down, Minako tried, tried so hard to remain standing, but her friends were all down and soon…

"Minako-san!" cried Aigis, but the girl barely heard her.

Minako found herself in the Velvet Room with Igor and Theo. _Oh god!_ She thought. _Am I dead?_ Igor however, confirmed that she was still alive. He told her to close her eyes and listen to the voices of her social links. That this was her power.

"I know you're facing a difficult task… But, I truly believe that you can overcome any obstacle."

_Hidetoshi…_

"Something frightful's going on…but we won't give up."

"That's right, dear… Minako-chan wouldn't want us to lose hope…"

_Bunkichi-san… Mitsuko-san…_

"I know in my heart, Minako-chan… You're doing all you can right now, aren't you? You always helped me out. Now it's my turn to help you…"

_Saori…_

"Minako… Things are going crazy right now, and I'm scared…but I'll be alright. I can feel from here that you're doing your best… You have to believe…that you're not alone either…"

_Rio…_

"Everyone else is scared, but not me… You showed me how to be tough! I won't give up!"

_Maiko-chan…_

"Minako-sama… 'ow are you doing? I 'ope you are okay… I am 'ere for you…like you were zere for me!"

_Bebe…_

"What on earth made me think of you at a time like this…? Well, I suppose you did teach me a thing or two about loyalty…"

_Tanaka-san…_

"You must be fightin' the good fight right about now… Well, you taught me that runnin' away never solves nothin'…so I'm here for ya, kid."

_Mutatsu-san…_

"I know I'm not the only one who's suffered… You've endured a lot too… But, you can't just give up… You taught me that."

_Akinari…_

Her friends… _This_ was the true strength of her bonds. Her friends gave her the power of the Universe. The ultimate wild card. Now, she could end Nyx. End it and ensure that her friends remained safe.

Minako began to regain consciousness. She was still up on Tartarus' peak with the rest of S.E.E.S. They were still all being crushed by the intense waves of power, but…Minako felt very light. She got to her feet and, ignoring her friends' cries of protest, began to float towards Nyx…into Nyx.

She had to go alone…but that didn't mean that she had to fight alone.

Nyx was the first to attack, hitting her with so much power, that Minako found herself on her knees. She should have been dead…but she wasn't.

She attacked Nyx, barely doing any damage at all. Then Nyx hit her again, once more with a move that normally would have killed her.

"There's nothing we can do?"

_Ken…_

"Don't give up! We have to believe in her!"

_Akihiko-senpai…_

"Give her strength! Take my life if you must!"

_Mitsuru-senpai…_

And she did feel it. Minako felt some strength come to her.

"Yeah, I'm willing to risk mine too!"

_Yukari…_

"She's going to face it all by herself!"

_Fuuka…_

"No! She's not alone! I won't let her die!"

_Junpei…_

And there it was, another surge of power. Now on her feet, Minako attacked Nyx once more, but just like before, she hardly did anything. Nyx hit her with 'Death' again…but it was blocked. She had blocked death! Minako could not die…not yet, at least.

"Bark! Bark!"

_Koro-chan…_

"I won't allow this world to be destroyed!"

_Aigis…_

And then she felt it, a warmth enveloped her body. She felt as if her back was pressed to a chest, as if there were strong arms around her, as if there were large hands above her own, holding her. When she heard the next voice, it wasn't surrounding Nyx and herself, like the others had been. This time, it was said directly into her hear. Said in a voice she longed to her. Said in a voice, in a tone that was only for her to hear.

"Alright…let's do this…"

_Shinji…_

Minako knew what she had to do. She had to finish this. Finish it for them, for Hidetoshi, Bunkichi, Mitsuko, Saori, Rio, Maiko, Bebe, Tanaka, Mutatsu, Akinari, for Ken, Akihiko, Mitsuru, Yukari, Fuuka, Junpei, Koromaru, Aigis…for Shinjiro.

Drawing power from her social links, her friends, Minako closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.

"Orpheus Telos! …Great Seal!"

**Just one more part left to go! Looking forward to reviews! Laterz!**


	20. March 5

**Yo, this is the last installment of _The Phases of the Moon_. I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, faved, and alerted this fic. It means allot to me… Please review this last chapter too! Thankz! So, here we go!**

**Disclaimer: (For the last time) I do not own Persona 3 Portable or any of its characters…**

March 5-Morning

That was it. The world had been saved. No one needed to worry about Shadows or the Dark Hour anymore. All was well. It was graduation morning. The day the group had promised to meet up on the school's roof. The place from where they could admire the beautiful city they had risked their lives to save.

And that was where she was now. Minako was laying down on one of the benches, with Aigis sitting close by. They were speaking quietly with one another, well, Aigis was doing most of the talking, but Minako could not ignore the heaviness in her body.

"Heeyyy!" Junpei called out from far below.

_Good_, thought the girl. _They've remembered…_

"Thank you…for everything," said Aigis, tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks.

It was so nice where she lay. Warm, but with a nice cool breeze. She could hear the voices of all her friends, cheering as they came to meet up, yet they were still quite far away.

And then she heard it. Another voice. The voice. His voice. Turning her head, Minako saw him. Shinjiro. He stopped next to her bench and looked down at her, panting. He had rushed over from the hospital, making it before anyone else and Minako felt her heart swell.

_He's awake… He's okay…_

"Minako…" Shinjiro smiled almost teasingly. "Don't make a sick guy push himself so hard." He sat down and pulled her into his arms, but allowed her to remain laying down, which was good because the girl wasn't sure she had enough energy to sit.

This embrace, Minako had missed so much, had craved for so long.

"It's pretty pathetic of me to forget the way I did…" said Shinjiro after a pause. "But even then, my feelings for you were the same as always. Haha…I got one thick skull, huh?"

"Yeah, you do," mumbled Minako, taking one of Shinjiro's hands and lacing their fingers together.

The heaviness was growing.

"The girl I saw in my dreams… It was you," said Shinjiro softly, glad that Aigis had tactfully moved away. "You were crying and laughing like usual…"

Which was exactly what Minako was doing right now. Shinjiro chuckled and tightened his embrace, holding her close.

"Yeah… This ain't a dream… You're really here…"

"Yes…I'm here…"

They heard the others get closer, all still cheering loudly.

"Haha… Man, those guys sure know how to ruin a moment," laughed Shinjiro.

It was so bright and sunny out, a perfect day. And it felt so warm laying in Shinjiro's arms… Minako's eyes began to feel heavy. She knew what was coming, knew that her time was up. There was nothing she could do to change it. She had no choice but to accept it. She had chosen it, after all.

"I love you, Shinji," she murmured softly and finally allowed her eyes to close.

_So warm…so perfect…_

Shinjiro knew what was happening too. Though how he knew, he was not sure. Fighting to keep himself leveled, he drew the girl close to his chest and kissed her lightly. Then he pressed his lips to the top he her head, his hold tight and loving.

As everything began to fade away into darkness, Minako heard the voice of her beloved Shinjiro one last time.

"I'm glad I met you…"

_**La Fin**_


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